Far and Away
by LeaO'Neill
Summary: Prologue to Second Chances. Will Nash do it? Will he retire and leave the SIU?


Nash Bridges: The characters of Nash and co. do not belong to me. They are property of Don Johnson, Carlton Cuse, etc.  
  
Far and Away  
  
Chapter One  
  
  
  
Nash had finished his physical therapy and was exhausted. It had only been a month since he'd been almost fatally shot in the chest. He was feeling his age. He was almost certain that 20, even 10 years ago he wouldn't have taken this long to recover. He had only been back at the SIU for a week. And his days were tiring. He was still on light duty but every day came home and felt like he'd run a marathon. He was beginning to question his 25 + years on the force. Questioning it a lot. Alex was outside the rehab center to pick him up. That, at least, gave Nash a smile. Alex had become very special to him, although since her brutal attack, a little over a month ago and his shooting, they had not resumed any kind of romantic relationship. And this, Alex said, was fine. She'd always been adamant about their friendship, whatever direction it had turned. He got into her Explorer, somewhat stiffly. "Hiya. You're early," he said. "I know. I got a call from the PD. They said you should get home quick." Nash got a bad feeling in his gut. "Is it Nick? Cassidy was there when I left." Alex couldn't help but grin. "Well," she had to chuckle. "In a way, it is Nick. It seems he's had traffic backed up for about an hour." "What are you talking about?" "You'll see," Alex promised. They got to Nash's street and Nash immediately saw that Alex had been right. Traffic was backed up and slowly moving. "What the-" Nash began with a frown. Alex had to park on the sidewalk in front of Nash's building. But the street cop directing traffic didn't seem to mind. He seemed to think that Nash getting home was about to make his life easier. Nash could now see the cause of the traffic problem. There was a huge silver and black RV bus double-parked in front of his building. As Nash got out of the SUV and stared at the bus, Nick and Cassidy emerged from the behemoth vehicle. Nick was grinning like a kid. Nash walked over. "Nick, what is this? Whose is this?" "It's a Recreational Vehicle, son," Nick stated proudly. "And it's mine!" Nash gave Nick a quizzical look. "Say again?" "It's mine son. I won it in a poker game. Got the title right here." He pulled a paper from his pocket and waved it in the air like a victory flag.  
  
Cassidy came over now. "It's really something dad. You've gotta see it." "Well I'll be glad to see it moved off my street," Nash said tersely. "Traffic's blocked up for a mile. Just where are you intending to keep this thing?" "Oh, no problem," Nick explained. "Pete has a slot for it in a park just a couple of blocks from here. I just wanted to see it up close." "Well, can someone move it back to its park?" Nash asked. "Sure son," Nick said, crestfallen, as if he were a kid who'd spilled his last soda. Nash sighed. "Alright, alright. I'll look at it. But then it's got to go." Nick beamed. He led Nash up the steps into the luxury vehicle. There was a young man behind the wheel. "That's Pete's grandson," Nick explained. "He was nice enough to bring it by." "And nice enough to take it back where it goes, right?" "Sure, sure. Listen, it sleeps eight comfortable, ten in a pinch," Nick was giving him the grand tour. "This is the galley," he said proudly. "Complete with microwave and dishwasher." They moved on. "The bathroom," Nick explained, opening a door to the right in a narrow hall. "It has a full shower, the works." They walked into the first room at the end of the hall, which also had a door into the 'master suite' behind it. "This room has a full bed that folds up," Nick demonstrated the 'Murphy bed' on the sidewall. He gestured to a built in TV/VCR mounted on the wall. Then they went into the next 'bedroom', which had a full bed as well and a TV/ DVD/ stereo built into the wall. There was a closet and the door also had a fold away 'desk'. "Isn't it great son?" Nick asked, with a grin plastered across his face. Nash had to finally at least work up some of his father's contagious enthusiasm. He smiled. "Yeah Nick, it is really nice." With some coercing, Nash finally got Nick off the RV after Nick instructed the driver to take it back to it's spot in the RV park. The traffic cop looked thrilled as the bus finally pulled away and he could let traffic proceed normally. He was able to leave finally. Nash, Nick, Alex and Cassidy went upstairs. "Isn't it great," Nick said again, once in Nash's living room. "It really is grandpa," Cassidy affirmed. Of course she knew she wasn't going to have time to take any trips with her grand father in the near future. She was just on leave from her school in Paris and had to return in another week. "Well, what are you panning to do with it Nick?" Alex asked, getting a glass of water for herself and one for Nash, who'd sat down at the bar. "I know exactly what I'm going to do," Nick said. "I'm going to travel. I'm going to see the US, maybe even Canada or Alaska." Nash looked up, stunned. He knew full well his father's limitations. Nick caught Nash's look. "I know what you're thinking son. But this was what I planned a long time ago with your mother. She isn't here to see it with me, but it was our dream, and now I've got the opportunity." He held his hand up before Nash could say anything. "I've got it all worked out. I'll sell Mr. Woody. The money I get, I can hire a driver. I won't be alone. But I'm gonna do this come hell or high water." Nash sat quietly for a few minutes. No one else spoke either. Alex looked from Nick's determined face to Nash's thoughtful one. Finally Nash began to nod. "I think you should Nick. I think you should see anything you want to. But," he took a sip of water. "You're not going to hire a driver." "I'm not?" Nash shook his head no. "Nope. You've already got one." "Who?" "Me." Cassidy's mouth fell open. Alex frowned, not understanding. "I've been doing a lot of thinking too," Nash explained, not only to his father, but also to everyone. "Now that the SIU is back on it's feet, it seems I'm not quite. I have to face facts, I'm not a kid anymore." "Are you taking about retirement, son?" Nick asked, incredulous. Nash shrugged. "Well, put it this way. In vacation and sick leave, I've got well over a year. I've got to use it up or lose it. I figure, maybe just a long break will give me a chance to put things into perspective." He got up and walked over to Nick. "And I cant think of a better way I'd rather spend my time than with you, dad." Nick was almost teary eyed. "Aw Nash," was all he managed. Cassidy jumped up and hugged her father. "I think it's terrific daddy. No one deserves it more." Alex remained silent. She tried to picture her days without Nash in them and it became a rather bleak portrait. Nash continued. "Joe and I have been talking about it more lately, and he's ready to slow down a little too. He's been thinking of going back to the detective agency." Alex was surprised. Neither of her two 'partners' had talked to her. "Well if this is something you really want, and not just because of me, than I can't think of anything better," Nick said. Nash smiled. "Good. We'll get all the details worked out. But right now, I'm hungry." "Oh, I forgot," Cassidy suddenly exclaimed. "I ordered from Mario's. I've got to go pick it up." "I'll go with ya," Nick said, in a better mood and with more spring to his step then Nash had seen in a long time. He and Cassidy walked arm in arm to the elevator and Nash could hear Nick break into a chorus of "Me and My Shadow," a song he used to sing when Cassidy was little. Nash smiled again. Then he turned to Alex, who'd remained in the growing shadows of the kitchen as the sun set over the bay. She still held her glass. Nash walked to her. "You're awful quiet." Alex shrugged and bit her lip. She didn't want to say the wrong thing. "I guess I'm just a little surprised." "Al, I wanted to talk to you about my taking a leave. This just kind of gave it a shove. And I can think of nothing better then if you'd go with Nick and me. I'll be real honest Alex; I don't want to be without you. I can be without you, but I'd rather not. No matter what happens. I've lost so much. I got this second chance for a reason. And I know it wasn't my imagination when I heard you say you loved me when I was in the hospital. Well Alex, I want to learn to love again too. It might be my last chance. Just like I know this will be my last chance to spend time with Nick. None of us are getting any younger. I know now that I can't leave with regrets." It was a long speech Nash made there in his kitchen. But it was one he'd needed to make. Alex set her glass on the counter and turned to stare out the window. Nash looked at her beautiful profile there in the sunset. "I guess I'm scared Nash," she finally said. "I'm scared to be in love with you. I'm scared that I might be trying to take my sister's place. I'm scared that to you I might be Nicole, or a replacement. I'm scared that I won't live up to your expectations." Nash stood behind Alex and put his hands on her shoulders. "I don't have any expectations. And you're not a substitute. No one could take her place. You have your own place. And I hope part of it is with me. I don't know where our relationship is going. I can't make any guarantees. I just know that if I don't try, I'll never forgive myself. I'm afraid of being in love too. Things haven't worked out too well for me in that department. But dammit Alex, if I don't try, I'll never know. And if I never know, I'll grow old alone. I don't want to be alone Alex." She turned to him, tears in her eyes. In the last light of the sun, Nash gently took her chin in his hands and kissed her lips. 


End file.
